//------------------------------// // Ch. 23: Time-Skip // Story: Extraterrestrial #51 // by TundraStanza //------------------------------// --- "You either die, or you live long enough." ~Corollary paraphrasing some hero and/or villain. ---{Cier's POV} Electric-Boogaloo-Day 2:45 PM Unconfirmed Position, New York Even with Discord tossed back into Equestria, the effects of his world-merging scheme were still not quite resolved. Every few days, another person found themselves a mental passenger in a poor Equestrian's body trapped on Earth. The calendar was still a wreck, but the school boards across the country were trying to come to agreement on when educational work could resume. If the rumors were anything to believe, I'd be going back in about fourteen days. The Element bearers were still in a flux between themselves and their original people. However, they agreed to remain on Earth for as long as was necessary to 'cure' the ponies and other creatures. There was also a portal ready for Equestrians to go home, but it could only transfer three at a time before the Elements' magic had to recharge. But I understood that they couldn't really make the rules. The Elements were magical, peace-restoring artifacts that could only work via talking ponies. I was grateful that this solution existed at all. Mom, Dad, and I had our turn today at this hour. I looked down at my hole-riddled hoof one more time. Fifty-one and I were... really going to be separated. I was happy for him, and yet... there was also a small pocket of emptiness in what I should have been feeling. It wasn't something I could explain exactly. It was kind of unreal, trotting through a room guarded by a few members of S.W.A.T., N.Y.P.D., and other miscellaneous forces. I also couldn't fully believe when we actually entered the slightly larger back room. Each of the main cast, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Twilight Sparkle... and another Twilight Sparkle were gathered together. I kind of understood that Twilight had been split between two people on Earth, but seeing it was still a bit of a shock compared to hearing it. Plus, I had to mentally remind myself that it wasn't just those seven ponies offering their aid. The people and the chaotically created fusion minds were putting in their time and help as well. I tasted a subtle love going into this project. I might have drooled a little, but I hastily wiped the corners of my mouth before stepping forward. Magic danced around the room, drawing connections between the light of the five necklaces and two halves of the tiara. Dad was levitated off the ground first. It pulled up Mom and myself soon after. The air around me felt warmer for a moment. It was over before I knew it, and I opened my eyes to see my hands on the ground. "Heh heh, nice pajamas." I looked toward the voice and quickly sat up straight on my knees. "That's the first thing you say upon being yourself again?" Fifty-one looked about what I was expecting him to look like. Although... he reached up one of his black hooves and I noticed he still had the leftover pony eye and missing fang on his face. "Well, it was either that or a generic 'I'm me again'. Learn to laugh at yourself." I chuckled as I pressed my palms against my thighs. "I don't think I ever got your name," commented Dad to his unicorn other. "Fashion Plate!" The dark green pony grinned widely. "And might I say what a stupendous wardrobe you're decked in today?" "Oh, thank you." Dad's smile was a little smaller physically, but I could see the feeling in his eyes. "If you're going to comment on the fact that I'm wearing a night gown..." started Mom. "No, no, no." Spirit Redeemer waved her hooves in front of herself. "It's... nice." In a way, this was our first real hello. Yet, it was also going to be a very real goodbye. Aside from laughing at a few more of the small talk gestures and jokes, I don't think the emotional weight ever hit me until much later. But right there, right then... it was as Spirit had said. It was nice. It truly was. "So... do you still see empathy as a sickness?" I asked. "If it is, then I don't particularly want the cure." Fifty-one simultaneously laughed and hissed. He then cleared his throat. "A-hem. I actually think these emotions that I'm growing into might be useful for the future. Maybe... we can figure out how to co-exist with the ponies and other creatures when we get home." "And that is what we humans call a positive attitude." I gave him a thumbs-up. Fifty-one nodded. "Are you still afraid to be in positions of leadership?" "Completely terrified." I crossed my arms, before slowly lowering them to my sides. "But, I'm not entirely closed to the idea if the need arises." "And that is what we changelings call practicality." He winked his solid blue eye. The time was closing in. Fashion Plate and Spirit Redeemer waved at us before stepping through the portal to Equestria. Fifty-one held out his hoof. I met his hoof with my gentle fist. He then turned around, took a galloping start and finished entry into the portal by flying through. Upon his departure, the portal's energy dimmed to an empty gate. The seven ponies breathed heavily or groaned. They looked tired as they headed off to recover in their own ways. I turned around and looked at Mom and Dad. I don't remember who hugged first, or what was the second hug's name, but I-Don't-Give-A-Darn was still shortstop. --- Silly-Putty-Day 12:15 PM Dylan Residence, California I pulled out a slice of leftover pizza and I recalled my first taste of sustenance as a changeling. It had texture that day, but a much milder taste profile than I was expecting. I never really considered a food to be nostalgic before. The immersion in the memory faded, however, when I tasted the toppings in full. Refrigeration had cranked up the spicy sausage to quite the level. I had to chug down my entire glass of water just to resume normal breathing. After that little wake-up jolt, I walked over to the kitchen to refill my glass. For some reason that I couldn't explain, I spat a little into the sink. Before I turned away completely, I stopped and caught sight of something strange. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. But even after wiping my arm across my face and blinking a few times, I could still see it. A little green goop was stuck to the edge of the top of the drain. Still confused, I slowly walked back to the table. Maybe I was seeing things, I reasoned. That couldn't have been from my spit that resembled changeling waste. It had to have just been wet, shriveled peppers. Right? There was a knock on the door, followed by the doorbell's ring. Normally, I didn't answer the door when I was home by myself. But after seeing a familiar face through the peephole, I decided to make an exception. "Hello, Mr. Big Zeke, sir." I did a half-wave with my hand while holding the door a quarter of the way open. "What brings you by?" “Well…” Big Zeke rubbed his neck a bit sheepishly. “Maybe you should see for yourself, brother.” He turned around. “Li’l Z, come over here!” I raised an eyebrow, wondering why he was speaking to thin air. But then, I heard something whoosh repeatedly. A pair of wings was accompanied by a dark pegasus pony with a light mane hovering down and standing next to Zeke. I blinked twice. “I… uh… huh.” I fumbled for the right words. "He looks exactly like Thunderlane." "I can't get this costume off!" The pegasus stallion exclaimed. He nibbled at his foreleg for emphasis. "How'd you get yours off?" I coughed. "Well, for starters, it's not a costume. That's your actual body right now." I opened the door the rest of the way. "You guys want to come in and have a seat? This could take a while to explain." --- ---{51's POV} Humpty-Dumpty-Day 1:00 PM Spirit Redeemer's Cottage, Whitetail Woods Now that changelings weren't completely committed to invasions and destroying our primary food source, some of them decided to branch out on their own. Understandably, some ponies were still uneasy about the idea of us wandering around freely and out in the open. But that was okay. We were all still adjusting after that whole merging universes incident started. Personally, I asked Spirit if I could stay with her for the time being. She agreed right away, before I could even voice what I thought might be some counter-questions. The pegasi were working on making the weather colder for the coming winter. I thought I might as well help Spirit rake some leaves into piles for future disposal. It was as I was scratching the rake against a third pile that I turned and saw something rather peculiar. Spirit was... skipping. Here's the thing. I knew that most other ponies would skip all the time and not bat an eye about such an action. But the Spirit Redeemer I had come to know as a friend would never do such a thing. Even in her happiest moments, she would be more apt to faint on the spot than to frolic through the flowers. Much less, she would ever do so through her own flower garden. It was only when I managed to see her briefly open her eyes that I could piece together what was going on. Her eyes were glazed in a yellow-ish glow. I face-hoofed. "Chrysalis darn it, Peter." "I'm sorry, 51. Would you mind darning it for me? I'm a little busy at the moment." I sighed and set down the rake gently. I took to the low sky to chase after the pony-loving ghost. I had to stop him from destroying more of Spirit's life work. I contemplated flying in for a side-tackle, but discarded the idea because of the flowers still under hoof. Mentally, I kicked myself. For my next idea, I would have to go against everything my combat trainers had ever taught me. "Yo, Peter!" I called out while holding my hooves on either side of my muzzle. "Stop stepping on Spirit's garden!" He slid to a stop on all fours. "Huh? Oh! Sorry. Lost myself in the moment." He leaned his head back as an eerie ring shook the nearby atmosphere. Spirit shook herself along her spine and tail. "Thank you. I don't know why he couldn't hear me pleading with him." She carefully stepped along the dirt to stop crushing the flowers. I shook my head and crossed my hooves while my wings kept me up. "For someone who lost his physical life, he doesn't act much older than a newborn hatchling." "I wouldn't put it that far." Spirit wiggled her hoof next to her face. "He's just happy to cross something off his bucket list." "But, he's already dead." I pointed out. "All the more reason to be carefree." She shrugged her shoulder. "At least, I think that's how he sees it." Before I could ask for further clarification, I heard the hive mind go off. "Actually, could you come over here, 51? There's a favor I need to ask of you discretely." I lowered my head and frowned. "What's wrong?" asked Spirit. I gave her a weary smile. "Looks like my work break is over. I think I'll be gone for the rest of the day." "Oh." She nodded slowly. "I understand. Well, uh..." She slowly reached her hooves around me and squeezed. "Good luck." "Eh heh." I hugged her back for a moment before pulling away. "I'll be back." "Okay, see you soon." She nodded and waved. I turned around and flew higher. It would take a few hours to get back to the hive from here. But I wasn't too worried about that. Instead, I distracted my mind from the journey with a singular question: Why did Spirit's parting emotional state smell so... delectably sweet? ---